Apparatus for deflating tubes



' 1,62 .128 May 1927' H. D. STEVENS 9 APPARATUS FOR DEFLATING TUBES Filed June 7. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 attoi nu 8 2 9 2 5, l S N E V E T S D a May 17, 1927.

APPARATUS FOR DEFLATING TUBES I Filed June '7, 1922 2 Shet's -Sheet 2 "511mm a 1 for a G Ci M 1 Qffonuzq i HORACE n. srnvnns, or AKeononxo,

BER COMPANY, or AKRON,

,. ma as ar st assienon'ro rln nsronn rrnn Ann 1W3- omo, A oonr'ona'rlon or 0310.

APPARATUS- ron nnrnerrne TUBES.

Application 'filed. June 7,

'My invention relates to apparatus for use in deflating collapsible tubes, particularly.

"fiating apparatus Constructed in accordance with my invention, and illustrating the parts pneumatic tire tubes, although it may be utilized in various other capacities as will hereinafter appear.

'In manufacturing tubes, for pneumatic tires, it is the usual practice to subject them to a test, while they are inflated with air, in order that leaks, and other imperfections may be detected. Obviously, in order that tubes so tested, and. in-fact, tubes that have 'not been so inflated and tested. must, have the air exhausted froin tlmm before they can be compactly folded for storage and shipment. Various expedients have heretofore been resorted to for acomplishin'g this result,each of which while possessing certain advantages, issuscept'ible of improvement as will be recognized'by those familiar with such practices and the present forms of apparatus that are available for such purposes. 1 a V The purpose of the present invention, broadly stated, is to provide a more practical and simplified form of 'ap'paratusthan has heretofore been available, which may be utilized to exhaust the air from tire tubes 1 during their manufacture, either thosethat T have been inflatedor thosethat have not been subjected to an inflation pressure, and

which will leave the tubes 'in satisfactory condition'for packing in tube boxes.

Theginvention is also directed toward providing a type of apparatus whereby a number of tubes may be treated in a single operation to simultaneously exhaust the air v therefrom, and which may be easily operated by a single attendant.

.- Another object of the IIIVBDtlOD is to provide an apparatus of the character, and for the purpose above stated, whereby the tubes" may be treated without danger of their becoming mutilated either by the operation I of "the apparatus or by carelessness on- 'thepartiof the operator.

"Other ob'ects and advantages, such as relatively low cost of manufacture,depend-; ability in operation, andthe provision ofan apparatus which will relieve the operator of the labor heretofore necessary for thej I preparation of tubes for pa'eki'nggwilll appear when the following description is read in conjunction with "the drawings accompanying and forming a part pf this specification.

position; a Figure 7 scale, illustrating the operation of the in 1922. Serial No. 566,443."

'2' is a similar view, ona reduced vent-ion 7 ""Figure 3 1s a frontelevation of the ap- -.paratus;. w i

l F'gure 4 theanvention; and v Figure 5 1s a sectionalrvlew of another de-' tail of the invention. I

v Referringto the drawings, wherein there s illustrated a preferredform of apparatus is a sectional View of a detail of I constructed in accordance with my invention, 1 indicates a'vertical standard which may be secured in an upright position upon any suitable form of base, such, for instance; as that designated by the numeral 2; The standard-1 is designed to support a plurality of tubes in suspended position and in side by side relation to be simultaneously engaged by a presser member-3; presently described. so that the tubes are "compressed between'the standard and said member, To

this end the standard, is of'greater height than'the length of the larger sizes of tubes,

" ard 1, the bracket comprising a vertical arm when they are in the position above indi-,- :cated, and the tubes aresuspen'ded from a point adjacent the top of the standard. As V ja'preferred means of' properly suspending 5 that fisflsuitably securedcentrally of the standard. and a forwardly 'projectingarm '6 ,in which there is mounted an adjustable horizontal bar 7. "The bar 7 is'adjustably j mountejd in the arm 6 so'thatit may be arranged to' 'extend an equal distance upon each side of the bracket 4, and the bracket is so constructed: that the bar is positioned I slightly in advance and-a short distance above the front faceof the standard 1. The

bracket is so arranged thata plurality. of 1 tubes. indicated 2158, may be suspended from the bar 7 inthe manner illustrated in the drawings, with the" valve stems 9 in subconstruction is not essential.L Preferably I utilize any one of the well known forms-of stantially thefposition shown-relative' to the bar and the standard 1', althoughjthedoub1e via ard 1 and is liiri ge d at l i' cap devices,-n0t1show;n, for holding; the valve mechanism open, or I may remove then'iechanism of the valve from within the stem.

The presser member?) issubs'tantially coextensive mien tl" of the tand:

; ot er eh d to the standard, as at 10. It is piyoted atthe end remote-from'the valve stem location and is movable relative to theistandard- 1: 'and'ato be moved thereagainst to compress the tubes between its rear faceanditlfe front fac of said st'an'dard'; the apparatus thus expelling the air upwardly to'a'rarcilt the valve ste'n'u In order tonremia the member 3' in its open position, "a bracket 11 secured-adjacent its lower end the bracket in this instance" comprising downwardly 'eiitjehding arms 12 pro:

' j ectin'g beyond 'eaclredge of the member and terminating below the hinges thereof.

Upon: emu side of the" base 2, *ret'ratile springs '13 are provided, one end of each sphngf being attached" to-the base while the other end thereof is attached to the lower end'olf: one Tof thearms 12;

As a means of moving the-pre'ssei member towardthe standard- 1 '1": provide the" fol- "lowing devices Upon therear face oi? the standarda pair j of spaced .braclrets'-are mounted; between which the forwardend of 'afluid pressure cylinder l l i's-secured for oscillation about a' horizontal axis extending transversely of the standard "1'. The cylinder may be of any I suitable construction; but preferably comprises ahe'a d' member; 15 which, in this instance; 1s providedawith pintles, oneof which is shown at 16. The pintles are .journaled in the brackets, one of which is shown at 17.

At its forward" end the cylinder isprovided -.With a' combined inlet and outletpipe 18 which carries two valves, designated respectively 19 and-v20. 'Valve 19 is of any well' known type which may beset to admit fluid pressure to anygiven degree, so that only a predetermined; pressure may be admitted I to thelc'ylinder lL- Valve 20 is the operating valve and is adapted to admit fluid; under pressure fro1n' a- 1nai1i li11e indicated at 22 7 --through valve 19. and is provided with a vent 23 with which it may be registered to exhaust the fluid medium from the cylinder 14 while cutting o'lf the supply from said main line. The cylinder. is provided with any suitable form ofpiston'Qantl' rod-25,

thearrangement of the pi'ston the cylinder 1'4. being such that when fluid under 7 1 jn'essure is admitted'zto' the cylinder through gard, -.1, and through a, similar opening 27 in the member-3.1 ;At

the aforesaidvalvesyitwillbe moved toward the rear of the cylinder. The -rod25 passes i through a suitable opening 26 in the standits; forward end the rod is pivotally connected,- in any suitable Inannenitoithe member 3, for instance asin .d1catedat-28 i a Ihe operation of my invention, it is .ber L i ,-v v,- H l1eved,: w-1ll be apparent from the forego ng description and therefore will not be de-: scribed in detail. Briefly it is as follows: i The a e-later oif mandarin after placing a plurality of tubes upon the bar in the positionand manner previously described adjusts the valve 19 to the proper pressure pointregulated by the size of the tube on which he is operating. The valve 20 is then i opened to admit fluid uhder pressure from" the main line 22' to'the forward. end of the cylinder '14, whereupon the active member 3- is moved against the standard 1" which serves to expel the air from-the tubefi rom the lowermost portion of theftube to the valve stem,- and squeezes the tube into flat concl'itio'ni so that it is in better shape for packingthan has been done by prior types of apparatus. The operator may' utilize the valve 19 in conjunction with the valve 20, r to" exhaust the fluid from the cylinder 1'4v if it is desired to utilize only'a' certain pres- Sure therein. whereby mutilation "of the tubes may be positively prevented? lvhenth'e air is exh'austed from the cyliiideig the springs 1'3" return the member and the pisto'n 24.

to starting position. -During the deflating 7 operation aiid the return movement the parts of the apparatus tostartingposition,

the cylinder 14' is free to oscillate in the brackets 17 as the member 3 oscillates'upon its hinges 1'0. Likewise the rod 25 and pis- 1%01124 are free to'adjus't themselves by vi'r tue of the pivotal connection 27 of th'e'r'od;

Although I have described invention '1' a detail and therefore utilized certain specine terfins; and language herein: it to be understood that the present disclosure" is H111stiative; rather than estrictive; and that eliaires and medificationsma be" resorted to without departing from the spirit or the stutter the claims ap ended hereto.

Wha'tIcMimis': I 1. Apparatus for eirhai'istinjz air from collapsible tubes coi'nprising; cooperatiiig' p'resser members operable to receive 'aiid v compress the tubes-therebefiweea, means for suspending the tubes between said memthe other, pressure actuated means for movlng said first member,and means operable to control said pressure actuated means.

collapsible tubes comprising, opposed presser members normally arranged in spaced relation to receive a tube therebetween one of said members being movable to compress the tube against the other member, means for supporting the tube between said members with the valve stem outside of the presser members, and means for moving said first means.

5.7 Apparatus for exhausting air from collapsible tubes comp'rising,'opposed presser members normally arranged in spaced relation to receive a plurality of tubes therebetween one of said members being movable relative to the other to compress the tubes therebetween, means upon one member for supporting the tubes with the valve stems exposed, and means for moving the members relatively to one another. 1

6. Apparatus for exhausting air from collapsible tubes comprising, a vertically disposed presser member, an oscillatable 'presser member, a support upon one member for suspending a plurality of tubes in parallel relation, means foryieldingly retaining the second member inspaced relation with respect to the first member, and pressure actuated means for moving the second member toward the first member.

'7. Appartus for exhausting air from a collapsible tube comprising, cooperating members adapted for receiving a tube therebetween, means for holding said tube in suspended position, one of said members he 4. Apparatus for exhausting a1r froming operable to compress the tube against the member, and means tor operating said first member.

8. Apparatus for exhausting air from a collapsible tube comprising, cooperating members adapted for compressing a tube, means for holding said tube'in suspended position, one of said members being movable relative to another member, means for moving said first member, and means for controlling the degree of compression exerted against the tube.

9. In an apparatus for removing air from an inner tube, means for supporting tube'in such condition for expelling the air therefrom. Y I 10. In an apparatus for removing air 'the inflated tube, and meansembracing the from an inner tube, means for supporting the inflated tube suspended in elongated condition and with the valve stem exposed, and means embracing the tube progressively toward the Valve to expel the air from the tube. Y

11.111 an apparatus for removing air from an inner tube comprising, means for supporting the inflated tube suspended in elongated condition and with the .valve stem exposed, and means to embrace said tube and flatten the same.

HORACE n. STEVENS. 

